Firefighters Take Caring for Seniors to a Whole New Level

Firemen see plenty on their watch – burning homes, medical emergencies and much more. But when three Harrison Township firemen saw the same problems over and over, they decided to do something to help. The trio – Bob Mlynarek, Mike Barnhard and Jason Groth– were getting calls to help elderly and others who had fallen, mismanaged medicine or various situations where maybe just a little help at home would have kept the firemen on duty for other emergencies.

“We are 17 and 18 year veterans of the Harrison Township Fire Department and for many years we had first hand experience of responding and helping seniors that are having trouble at home,” Mlynarek said. “Slip and falls, medication errors – we have a lot of experience visiting seniors and we see how they needed help at home.”

The trio opened the Macomb County location of Preferred Care at Home in 2010 to help fill this need. The company provides specialized care that can be personalized to the individual whether they need a few hours a day or round the clock help. Currently, they serve Macomb County and have expanded to Gross Pointe and into eastern Oakland County. The national franchise has over 40 locations nationwide and the Firefighters franchise has been awarded as the “Number One Franchise in the Country” for the past two years according to Mlynarek.

“We send experienced, trained, pre-screened caregivers into the home or wherever the senior may call home (assisted living and such),” he said. “And the caregivers will help with activities of daily living – medication reminders, meal preparation, bathroom and shower assistance, incontinence care, dressing, eating assistance, shopping and errands, transportation, companionship and light housework. They basically assist the seniors to live independently in their own home.”

They also work along side hospice care when needed. “We provide that extra support as needed to help families through that difficult time,” he said. “The business employs over 100 caregivers along with a 10-person office staff.”

For more information, contact them at (586) 298-1044 ext. 1. The business is always seeking qualified caregivers who can apply through www.helpseniors.net. The website for Preferred Care is www.preferhome.com/macomb